Astronaut Ron Garan experienced something unforgettable when he looked down at Earth from space.
Ron Garan, a former NASA astronaut and author, spent 178 days in space, traveling more than 71 million miles in 2,842 orbits of Earth. During his time on the International Space Station, he encountered the ‘Overview Effect,’ a profound shift in perspective often felt by astronauts seeing Earth from above for the first time.
NASA describes the ‘Overview Effect’ as a feeling that changes how astronauts see and think about the planet and life itself. For Garan, this experience revealed some undeniable truths about our world.
In an interview with Big Think, Garan explained: “We often treat problems like global warming, deforestation, and biodiversity loss as separate issues. But in reality, they’re all connected to one root problem—we don’t view ourselves as part of a planet-wide system.”
The view from space brought this clarity to him. Garan described watching “lightning storms flash like paparazzi cameras” and “dancing auroras so close it felt like you could touch them.” What stood out most was the fragile thinness of Earth’s atmosphere—a paper-thin layer that sustains all life.
He recalled seeing an iridescent biosphere full of life but noticed something missing: “I didn’t see an economy. Yet, we treat the planet’s life-support systems as if they are just tools for the global economy. From space, it’s clear that’s not sustainable.”
This moment shifted his thinking. Garan realized how interconnected and dependent we all are on one another and the planet. He called this realization a “light bulb moment” that emphasized the need for change.
Since returning to Earth, Garan has worked to promote a cleaner, safer, and more peaceful world. He stresses the need to prioritize the planet, then society, and finally the economy, flipping the current way of thinking.
As he puts it: “We can’t achieve peace on Earth until we understand the interconnected nature of everything.”